The Ghosts of Nantucket: 23 True Accounts

This book was a page-turner right from the beginning. This is quite simply one of the best ghost story collections I have ever read, especially for one that is concerned with such a concise regional area. The stories are well varied, the writing is snappy and moves right along, and the storytellers keep nicely to the point. There's no embellished fluff or rehashing of old legends here. ALL of these stories are first-hand accounts witnessed by contemporary people. Some of these tales will make you smile, some will make you chuckle, and others will quite effectivley put a lead ball in the pit of your stomach. The author has nicely captured the essence of Nantucket by letting the people describe their heritage for themselves. Her detailed descriptions of the architecture bring alive these places for you. Nantucket is one of those places you'll never forget once you have been there, and these candid people will help show you why. In addition to all the local history and genealogy, doors open and close, sturdy latches won't stay shut, lights turn on and off, voices of all types haunt present day residents, ghostly footsteps abound, and much more! I was especially intrigued by the lady whose entire family of ancestors seems to be staying on in her house with her. Having grown up in a Massachusetts home built in 1788, I can appreciate the value the residents place on preserving their historical and generational traditions. This book will give you a real sense of how these people relate to their island, their homes, and their living history. If you are interested in Nantucket, or just love curling up with a good ghost story or two, this one's for you.

I bought this book while vacationing on Nantucket in hopes for a good scare. Written by a children's book author, I was expecting the scares to be watered-down and the fantasy to be fluffed up. This was not the case. The stories are well-written and captivating. The author includes first-hand accounts from witnesses and has managed to round-up some really bizarre and extremely creepy ghost stories.

This is the best true accounts ghost story book I have ever read and I have been reading them since I was ten( I'm now 50). I don't know what universe Blue Ballitt wandered into when she was writing this but it has a real ring of authenticity to it and the stories are sometimes so downright strange-- A Red Freind comes particularly to mind--that the very bizarreness argues for some sort of belief. My favorite story and the scariest true life story ever is A Little Girl. Yikes. It is creepy. Not M.R. James with his strange elementals. Just very straight-forward human apparitons with a great deal of will! This is a very fun sort of book and the reader will not be dissapointed.

I made the mistake of reading this book while staying in Nantucket in a 200 year-old house. Reading about the hauntings (one of which occured in the house next to where I was staying) got my mind over-active. A guitar in the hallway would inexpicably "ping". One door refused to stay shut -- even though the unlevel floor would have made it more likely for it to remain closed. Oh yes, I suffered during that week. Running up the stairs at night to seclude myself in the bedroom. Did this book make me believe? I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks.

This is an extremely well written oral history--interviews with year-round and summer residents of Nantucket Island who have actually experienced ghosts. These are unembellished accounts from some rather unlikely and credible sources. A great read in summer, or any season, its sequel, "Nantucket Hauntings" is also available.